A400M test platform continues to take shape

27 March, 2007

SOURCE: Flight International

EADS Casa is preparing to mate the nose and main fuselage sections of a static test example of the Airbus Military A400M transport, following the latter structure's arrival at Getafe, Spain on 17 March. The 29m (95.1ft)-long fuselage barrel was delivered to Getafe from Bremen, Germany, using an Airbus A300-600 Beluga transport.

The platform will be tested to destruction during a one-year test campaign to support development of the A400M, which is scheduled to conduct its first flight next year. A further four fuselage barrels are now in assembly in Bremen and will be delivered to EADS Casa's A400M final assembly line in Seville equipped with internal systems, cargo ramps and rear doors.

The Royal Australian Air Force's first of five A330-200 multirole tanker-transports is also nearing completion in Getafe, with the aircraft's Cobham 905 under-wing hose-and-drogue refuelling pods and centreline air refuelling boom system recently having been installed.